[MichaelColey]

I'm going to create a private forum here on ABW for the affiliate community to do any behind the scenes coordination necessary to fight the affiliate tax laws.

How do we want to coordinate access? We have two basic ways to control access, and we can use a combination of the two:

1. We can let specific existing usergroups in automatically (for instance, Inner Circle Members, members who have Signature/PM rights, or any minimally active member), but the more permissive we are on the access, the more likely it is to be infiltrated.

2. We can create a new usergroup and let people request access to get in. If we do this, who would like to review and approve or deny requests to join? We can have multiple people with that access.

I think I would suggest letting all Signature/PM members in automatically, and creating a usergroup that others can request to join.

[MichaelColey]

Private forum created:

http://forum.abestweb.com/forumdisplay.php?f=605

For now, members with Signature/PM rights have access.

Also, you can request membership here: http://forum.abestweb.com/profile.php?do=editusergroups

I set up Stephanie and Rebecca as leaders, so they can review join requests (at the same link above).

I can change any of this setup if necessary, but I wanted to get this going ASAP.

[loxly]

What about making Mellie a leader?

[mellie]

I have been working on this issue since the beginning (that was 2008). I have continued to help any affiliate, merchant or network who reached out,reardless of size, performance ability or their importance. I have provided information to the entire industry, conducted FREE webinars that many attended (including netwwork reps, PMA members and others)


Is there a reason why Affiliate Advocacy was not considered?

The issue needs balanced representation.

There are many who will not be known by Stephanie or Rebecca just as there will be many who are not known by me.

[MeeMaw]

Why does it need to be private at all? Curious?

[Rhea]

What Mellie wrote, seconded.

Michael, I don't even know what to say about your choice of leaders for this group. Not including Mellie is outrageous.

[Herb ԿԬ]

Originally Posted by Rhea

What Mellie wrote, seconded.

Michael, I don't even know what to say about your choice of leaders for this group. Not including Mellie is outrageous.

+1

[markwelch]

> Why does it need to be private at all? Curious? <

I think the issue is that when planning strategies to persuade legislators, it's unwise to reveal your plans publicly where lobbyists for the opposite site can see those plans and develop strategies to "counter" them. (Regrettably, the booksellers' lobbyists have been dishonest and deceptive in their efforts in some states.)

[Matt McWilliams]

Originally Posted by markwelch

> Why does it need to be private at all? Curious? <

I think the issue is that when planning strategies to persuade legislators, it's unwise to reveal your plans publicly where lobbyists for the opposite site can see those plans and develop strategies to "counter" them. (Regrettably, the booksellers' lobbyists have been dishonest and deceptive in their efforts in some states.)

That was my first thought. Imagine if our lobbying efforts were literally made public to the opposition.

Vermont is a good example. The opposition, from what I heard, was unprepared, poorly represented, and clumsy. That is how we want them to be.

[MichaelColey]

Thanks! I can't believe I didn't include Melanie. I've added you as a leader. I was mainly just thinking about those who were creating private groups outside of ABW and not everyone who has been leading the battle against the taxes.

Anyone else I missed that would like to be included as a leader? Kevin? Basically, the "group leaders" just control the gate, choosing who to allow in and who to deny.

And yes, you guys see the reasons that a lot of the planning needs to happen behind closed doors. Rebecca already posted about how she had put her plans out publicly and the next morning the opposition was using it.